Media Silver-Haired Characters Slowly Re-Emerge on TV September 30, 2006 • The new NBC sitcom Twenty Good Years is a rarity for television: It focuses on characters over 50. Networks haven't pursued older audiences because advertisers pay more to draw in younger viewers, whose brand loyalties aren't established. But with boomers' big spending habits, that may slowly begin changing.
Environment Environmentalists Rethink Stance on Nuclear Power September 30, 2006 • Environmentalists concerned over global warming are considering a radical idea: Nuclear power as an acceptable way of making electricity. Unlike electricity from burning coal and gas, nuclear power doesn't produce the greenhouse gases that warm the atmosphere.
Sports Big Bucks on the Horizon for Bass Fishermen? September 29, 2006 • Big money prizes and corporate sponsorship are changing the face of competitive bass fishing. ESPN recently acquired the Bass Anglers Sportsman's Society and is trying to develop the sport's tournaments as major TV events.
Technology E-Mail Takes a Holiday, at Least for One Day September 29, 2006 • Feeling his employees should work face-to-face as often as possible, one CEO has banned in-house e-mails on Fridays. PBD Worldwide Fulfillment Services chief Scott A. Dockter says that while there's been some grumbling, the practice is improving office culture -- and cutting down the amount of emails employees send.
Opinion StoryCorps A Father, a Son, and a 10-Cent Mistake September 29, 2006 • To say that Samuel Black's father worked would be like saying that Bill Gates made money. But he found time to teach his son lessons. "He was a very stern disciplinarian," Samuel Black says -- often, all his father had to do was look at his sons, and his meaning was clear.
Marketplace Report Marketplace Report: NYSE, Income, Mortgages and Inflation September 29, 2006 • The index of the New York Stock Exchange has recently seen a dramatic rise, closing in on a record high. Janet Babin of Marketplace talks with Madeleine Brand about some of the reasons behind the spike, and about the latest economic news on personal income, mortgage rates and inflation.
Diversions 'Human Directionals' Twirling for Your Attention September 29, 2006 • People twirling signs are becoming an increasingly common sight at real estate openings and sandwich shops across the country. Producer Jennifer Sharpe investigates this flowering of what in the business are known as "human directionals."
Technology A Chat with Computing Pioneer Steve Wozniak September 29, 2006 • The man who co-founded Apple Computer and helped start the personal computer revolution, Steve Wozniak, talks about hacks and pranks, the early days at Apple, and the present and future of technology. Wozniak's new book is iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It.
National Columnist: Investment Choices Are Personal September 29, 2006 • Debra Neiman, the personal finance columnist for Entrepreneur.com, talks about how the average investor should approach the ups and downs of the Dow industrials. She tells Steve Inskeep that investors should always base decisions on their own goals.
Media Yahoo! Donation Prompts Fellowship Controversy September 29, 2006 • A recent decision by the Knight Fellowship at Stanford to take a million dollars from Yahoo! has resulted in arguments among alumni of the program. The fellowship is for journalists working in countries with censorship or other obstacles. But Yahoo's affiliate in China has offered up information to Chinese authorities that put at least two journalists in prison.
Religion Holy Start-Up? A Pastor's 'Giving Kiosks' Spread September 28, 2006 • Parishioners at some American churches are now donating money by using a debit card. The move away from tithing envelopes has led a pastor in Augusta, Ga., to start a new business. Michele Norris talks with Marty Baker of Stevens Creek Community Church about his "Giving Kiosks," which are now taking in money at seven churches -- with plans to expand.
Marketplace Report Marketplace Report: H.P. Lawyer to Testify on Spying September 28, 2006 • Toip Hewlett Packard attorney Ann Baskins resigned Thursday, the latest casualty in a corporate scandal over alleged spying on company board members and journalists. Baskins has agreed to testify before a congressional committee about the incident. Janet Babin of Marketplace talks with Madeleine Brand about the latest developments in case.
Hurricane Katrina & Recovery Efforts New Orleans Landmark Lost $1 Million in Wine September 28, 2006 • Ted Brennan, co-owner of the landmark Brennan's restaurant in New Orleans, talks about damage from Katrina to the restaurant's extensive wine collection. The French Quarter mainstay lost more than 35,000 bottles of wine after Hurricane Katrina knocked out the electricity in the wine cellar for nearly a month. The collection was valued at $1 million.
Health Care Congressman Seeks Better Coverage for Addiction Treatments September 28, 2006 • Twenty-six million Americans suffer from addiction to drugs or alcohol, and many insurance companies refuse to pay for treatment. U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-MN), a former alcoholic, is working to increase insurance coverage for addiction treatments.
HP Executives Testify Before Congress About Spying September 28, 2006 • Hewlett-Packard's Chief Executive Officer Mark Hurd and its former chairwoman, Patricia Dunn, are expected to testify before a Congressional subcommittee Thursday. The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee is investigating HP's spying on board members.